Australian Capital Territory (ACT), seat of
the Australian federal government and site of the national capital, Canberra.
It comprises 911 square miles (2,359 sq km) of varied terrain on the northeastern
flank of the Australian Alps approximately 155 air miles (250 km) southwest
of Sydney. Most of the land was transferred to the Commonwealth Government
by the state of New South Wales in 1911.The Murrumbidgee River flows through the northern portion
on a general northwesterly course and serves to divide the ACT into two
basic types of terrain. Northeast of the river, open valleys and rounded
hills prevail; elevations range between 1,700 and 2,900 feet (520-890 meters),
and little of the original native forest remains. The city of Canberra
occupies much of this portion. The larger southern portion is much more
rugged; the Bimberi/Brindabella Range, within which the highest point in
the ACT is located (6,247 feet, 1,912 meters), forms the western boundary.
The ranges and steeper slopes carry eucalyptus forest, while there are
discontinuous cleared areas along streams and on gentler slopes. As the highest major inland city in the
country, Canberra enjoys a moderate climate and a high level of sunshine.
Summer temperatures over 100°F. (38°C.) are rare, and while winter
frosts are common, lows under 20°F. (-7°C.) are unusual; snow falls
in Canberra only a few times a decade, but occurs annually on the western
ranges. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year; Canberra's
annual average is 23.2 inches (592 mm). The Australian constitution provided for
the establishment of a national capital within the boundaries of New South
Wales but at least 100 miles (160 km) from Sydney; the present site was
selected in 1908. An international competition held for the design of the
capital was won by a Chicago architect, Walter Burley Griffin. The development
of Canberra as the nation's capital was delayed by war and economic depression,
but after World War II work began on a large scale, and in 1948 government
departments began to move into the city. The central part of Canberra occupies the
open valley of the Molonglo River framed by three prominent hills. In the
early 1960's the river was dammed to form Lake Burley Griffin, a central
part of the city's design. The lake is surrounded by over 1,000 acres (400
hectares) of park. Built around its eastern end are the Parliament House,
major government offices, and the principal business district. The new
Parliament House, completed in 1988, faces north across the lake to a broad
formal avenue, Anzac Parade; the view is strongly reminiscent of that along
The Mall in Washington, D.C. Canberra is one of the fastest growing cities
in the country. Nearly 100 suburbs have developed around four "town centers"
where commercial activities and government offices are located. In mid-1994
the urban area totaled 119 square miles (308.5 sq km) exclusive of major
parks. At the 1991 census Canberra had a population of 276,460; in mid-1994
it was estimated to be slightly over 300,000. Conceived as a garden city,
Canberra has seen extensive plantings of trees and shrubs. Its country
setting, together with clean air and water, make Canberra a very attractive
place in which to live. Canberra is home to three higher educational
institutions: the Australian National University, the University of Canberra,
and the Australian Defence Force Academy. The National Gallery, the National
Library, and many national and scientific organizations have their headquarters
there. NASA's Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Station is 25 road miles
(40 km) southwest of the city. The principal land use in the ACT is for
livestock raising, especially sheep grown for wool and cattle for beef.
A local timber industry is based on 58 square miles (150 sq km) of softwood
plantations, of which Pinus radiata is the principal species. The ACT became self-governing in 1989; all
state powers are exercised through a 17-member legislative assembly, although
in matters affecting overall planning it must work within guidelines set
by the federal National Capital Planning Authority.

Brisbane, the capital city of the state of Queensland,
in northeastern Australia, located in the southeastern part of the state,
about 500 miles (804 km) north of Sydney. The city is about 15 miles (24
km) from the mouth of the Brisbane River, which empties into Moreton Bay.
Moreton Bay is partially separated from the south Pacific Ocean by Moreton
Island. Brisbane lies on a small coastal plain, and a southern extension
of the Craig Range lies to the west of the city. Its climate is humid and
subtropical, with an average annual temperature of 69°F. (20°C.).
The coldest month is July, which averages 59°F. (15°C.), while
the hottest month, January, averages 77°F. (25°C.). The average
annual rainfall is about 45 inches (1,100 mm). The wettest month is January,
with 6 inches (150 mm) of rain, while in August, the driest month, only
about 2 inches (50 mm) falls. Agriculture, dairying, and grazing are important
activities of the area; wheat, corn, vegetables, pineapples, strawberries,
and papayas are grown, and cattle, sheep, horses, and pigs are raised.
Dairy products and wool are among Brisbane's chief exports. Queensland has extensive deposits of coal,
copper, silver, gold, lead, zinc, uranium, and some tin, all of which are
advantageous to Brisbane's varied business and manufacturing enterprises.
The city is connected by pipeline with the Moonie oil fields, and refining
is a major industry. Other important activities are shipbuilding and repairing,
and the manufacture of railroad locomotives, chemicals, and fertilizers.
Brisbane is connected with the Australian road, rail, telegraph, and radio
systems and has a national and international shipping service. The city
has an international airport as well as air connections with other Australian
cities. Brisbane is the administrative and intellectual center of Queensland,
and the University of Queensland and Griffith University are located there.
There are numerous parks and recreation areas, Bowen Park and Victoria
Park being the largest. Noteworthy buildings include the Queensland Public
Library, the Houses of Parliament, the Queensland National Bank, the state
Supreme Court, and the City Hall. Major institutions include the Queensland
Museum, the School of Arts, the Queensland Club, and two large general
hospitals. Brisbane supports a symphony orchestra and is the seat of Anglican
and Roman Catholic archbishoprics. Brisbane was settled as a convict colony
in 1824, and was named after a former governor of New South Wales, Sir
Thomas Macdougall Brisbane. It became a free settlement in 1842. It was
a city of New South Wales until 1859, when it became the capital of the
newly established colony of Queensland, of which it is now the most important
port. Pop. 1991, urban center, 1,205,300; metropolitan area, 1,334,746.

Darwin, the capital and chief port of Northern
Territory, on the north-central coast of Australia. The city is on an indentation
of the Timor Sea. Bathurst and Melville islands are north of Darwin and
are separated from the mainland by Clarence Strait. The city is on a low
coastal plain, and the low and little explored plateau of Arnhem Land is
east and southeast of the town. The climate of Darwin is of a hot, tropical,
savanna type, and the average annual temperature is about 82°F. (28°C.)
with only 6°F. to 8°F. (3°C. to 4°C.) difference between
the hottest and coldest months. The average annual precipitation is 59
inches (150 mm); January has 16 inches (41 mm), whereas July has only a
trace of rain. Because of the dry season, tall grass, acacia, and eucalyptus
are the common type of natural vegetation. Sugarcane and tropical products
are grown. Darwin is named after the scientist Charles
Darwin. The site was discovered in 1839, and was planned as a government
cable-station town in 1869. The city never flourished as originally anticipated
and in 1938 was described as a "miserable little town of 1,600 people."
The port consisted of one old pier and a few sheds, and a small railroad
extended about 250 miles (400 km) southeast to Mataran in the interior
of North Australia. Darwin became important during World War II when it
served as one leg of the British naval defense triangle with its bases
at Singapore, Hong Kong, and Darwin. The two major bases fell to Japan
late in 1941, thus leaving Darwin vulnerable to attack; and the town was
bombed by the Japanese shortly after the fall of Singapore. Australian
and U.S. troops rushed to defend the northern coast of Australia. Some
naval units were stationed at Darwin, the pier was rebuilt, and oil and
gas storage tanks were built, as well as a new airport and military establishments.
After the war the bombed areas were rebuilt. On the night of December 24-25,
1974, Darwin was destroyed by a cyclone. All but 10,000 of the city's residents
were evacuated after the disaster, but many returned in 1975 as construction
of wind-resistant buildings began. Pop. 1991, urban center, 78,139.

Perth, the capital of Western Australia,
situated on the Swan coastal plain, on the southwestern seaboard of the
continent. The city and its sprawling suburbs lie on undulating sandy ground
on the banks of the Swan River. The administrative and commercial center
is 12 miles (19 km) inland from the port of Fremantle at the river's mouth.
Perth has a Mediterranean type of climate, with long, hot, dry summers
and relatively short, cool, wet winters. The average annual temperature
is 64°F. (17°C.). July, the coldest month, averages 55°F. (12°C.);
February, the hottest, averages 74°F. (23°C.), with frequent temperatures
of over 100°F. (37°C.). Average annual rainfall, most of which
occurs in winter, is 35 inches (900 mm). The city proper is laid out rectangularly
on the north bank of the Swan. At its western end, adjacent to the 1,000-acre
(400-hectare) King's Park, are Parliament House and the principal
government offices. Beyond King's Park lie the grounds of the University
of Western Australia. A highway bridge at the foot of King's Park and a
railway bridge and traffic causeway at the eastern edge of the city connect
the two banks of the river. The Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals,
the two town halls, the Supreme Court, Government House, Royal Perth Hospital,
and other landmarks are peppered throughout the square mile of the central
area. The largest and tallest of the financial and commercial buildings
line both sides of the main thoroughfare, St. George's Terrace. Perth also
has technical training institutions, a museum, an art gallery, a state
library, an observatory, numerous parks and playing fields, and large areas
of open river for recreation. Surrounding the city are residential suburbs,
which sprawl west to the coast, east to the foothills of the Darling Range,
south to Kwinana, and north into the sparsely populated market gardening
area. A number of light industries are located in and around the city,
and the principal manufactures are furniture, paint, flour, cement, fertilizers,
clothing, paper, and automobiles. There is a large oil refinery and a steel-rolling
mill at Kwinana. Perth is linked by rail with Geraldton on
the north; Albany on the south; and, via Kalgoorlie in the eastern goldfields,
with the other capital cities, by the Trans-Australian Railway. An international
airport links Perth with the outside world. The city has both national
and commercial radio and television broadcasting stations.Perth was founded in 1829, and became a city in 1856.
Its growth, slow at first, has paralleled the development of the state's
mining and farming areas. Pop. 1991, urban center, 1,030,000; metropolitan
area, 1,143,265

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia
and the fourth largest city in Australia, in the south-central part of
the continent, 425 miles (680 km) northwest of Melbourne. Adelaide is situated
near the southern coastline of South Australia. Its port city, Port Adelaide,
is about 7 miles (11 km) distant on the Gulf of St. Vincent, a large indentation
at the end of the Great Australian Bight. The city of Adelaide is on a
low coastal lowland about 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level. Immediately
east of the city is a low narrow upland known as the Mount Lofty Range,
the southern extension of the Flinders Range. Adelaide has a Mediterranean
type of climate, with short, cool, wet winters and long, hot, dry summers.
The average annual temperature is 63°F. (17°C.); July, the coldest
month, averages 53°F. (12°C.). Freezing weather does occur, but
rarely. The average annual rainfall is 21 inches (530 mm); most of the
rain falls during winter, with June the wettest month. Farming and grazing are the principal occupations
in the surrounding countryside, with sheep as the chief grazing animal.
Cattle are also important, and as a consequence dairying is carried on
extensively. Large quantities of dairy products, including butter and cheese,
are processed in Adelaide, as are beef, mutton, wool, and wool products.
The state's uranium, iron ore, gold, and salt are the basis of much of
the city's manufacturing. There are machine shops, textile mills, cereal
mills, pottery plants, wholesale houses, and railroad yards. The city's
products and manufactures are shipped via Port Adelaide. Adelaide, founded in 1836, was named for
the wife of William IV. In 1840 it was incorporated as a city, the first
in Australia to be so designated. The city, laid out in the form of a square
by its founder, Col. William Light, extends far beyond its original boundaries,
but it retains much of its original symmetry. What was formerly the Torrens
River has been dammed and made into a lake which lies in the parkland,
one mile (1.6 km) wide, between the business section of South Adelaide
and the residential quarter of North Adelaide, in which the Anglican Cathedral
of St. Peter was erected in 1878. The principal street, King William, runs
north and south, intersecting Victoria Square in the center of the city.
Surrounding the square are many sites of note, including the Victoria and
Albert towers, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier.
North Terrace, another of the city's main thoroughfares, contains additional
buildings and sites of interest. Along it are the public library, the South
Australian Museum, the national gallery, and the State War Memorial, erected
in 1931 to honor the South Australians who died in World War I. At the
eastern end of North Terrace are the University of Adelaide, which was
founded in 1874, and the Botanic Gardens, which is adjoined by the Zoological
Gardens. In Creswell Gardens is located the Sir Ross Smith Memorial, a
bronze statue of the South Australian aviator who, with his brother, in
1919 made the first successful flight from England to Australia. In 1905,
in Light Square, the city erected a memorial over his grave to the city's
founder, Colonel Light. Scattered throughout Adelaide there are statues
of many famous people, including Queen Victoria and Robert Burns. In addition
to the University of Adelaide, the educational and cultural institutions
include the Adelaide Festival Centre, the Elder Conservatorium of Music,
the South Australian College of Advanced Education, and the Royal Theatre. Adelaide's suburbs include Burnside, Beaumont,
Goodwood, Hindmarsh, Kensington, Mitcham, Norwood, Plym ton, Prospect,
St. Peters, and Unley. Glenelg, Semaphore, and Largs, nearby on the gulf,
are popular beach resorts. Pop. 1991, urban center, 960,300.

Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, Australia,
a deepwater port at the head of the estuary of the Derwent River, 12 miles
(19 km) north of where it flows into Storm Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The
city lies on the west shore of the river. From Mount Wellington (4,165
feet; 1,270 meters), which rises behind Hobart, there are grand vistas
of the mountainous interior and the ocean. The climate is mild and equable,
with a mean temperature ranging from 62°F. (17°C.) in January to
46°F. (8°C.) in July. Annual rainfall is 26 inches (660 mm) and
is evenly distributed. Australia's second oldest city, Hobart was
founded in 1804 and became the seat of government of the separate British
colony of Van Diemen's Land (now the state of Tasmania) in 1825. The center
of the city was laid out by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1811. Surviving
landmarks of the early settlement are Anglesea Barracks and the stone warehouses
along the waterfront. Hobart had assumed its characteristic aspect before
1850 and has the best examples of early 19th-century colonial architecture
in Australia. Of particular interest are the dwellings that form Arthur
Circus, the Treasury building, the Theatre Royal, and St. David's Cathedral. Following cessation of the transportation
of convicts in 1853, an economic depression affected the colony, but prosperity
returned with the Tasmanian mining boom of the 1880's and Hobart continued
to grow. Railroads linked Hobart with the north and northwest coasts of
the island. After World War I, construction of hydroelectric power projects
in the central highlands led to development of secondary industries and
a new phase of the city's life. Growth has been even more rapid since 1945,
with expansion of the city to the north and south and, following bridging
of the Derwent in 1943, the development of the eastern suburbs across the
river. In 1991 the metropolitan area of Hobart had a population of 181,838. Within Hobart and its vicinity are electrolytic
zinc refining works, lumber mills, pulp and paper mills, textile printing
plants, breweries, cocoa and chocolate factories, and plants for the manufacture
of jam and fruit juice. The city serves as a distribution and shopping
center for southern Tasmania. Gross tonnage of vessels entering the port
in 1981-1982 was more than 3,000,000. Hobart has a number of parks, notably the
Mountain Reserve on Mount Wellington and the Queen's Domain along the riverfront,
which contains Government House and the Botanical Gardens. Outstanding
public buildings include the state House of Parliament, the Anglican and
Roman Catholic cathedrals, the new buildings of the University of Tasmania,
the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and the modern State Library. The
high-level Tasman Bridge spanning the Derwent was opened in 1964. A regatta
is held each February, and the annual Sydney-Hobart yacht race takes place
in December. In 1967 bush fires in southern Tasmania reached Hobart itself,
resulting in heavy loss of life and property.

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and, after
Sydney, the principal industrial and financial center of Australia. The
continent's second largest city, Melbourne is located in extreme southeastern
Australia. It lies on both sides of the Yarra River, at the northern end
of Port Phillip Bay, an oyster-shaped sea inlet about 30 miles (48 km)
in diameter. The bay is a deep indentation from the Bass Strait into the
Australian coast. The city is situated on a plain that rises gently to
the low Great Dividing Range, 30 miles (48 km) inland. The southern spurs
of the Australian Alps to the northeast, the heavily wooded slopes of the
divide, and the giant eucalyptus forests of Gippsland to the east provide
recreation areas and an ample water supply for the city. The average annual
temperature is 58°F. (14°C.); July, the coldest month, averages
49°F. (9°C.), while January, the warmest, averages 68°F. (20°C.).
Rainfall is only 26 inches (660 mm) a year but is evenly distributed. Melbourne is an important trade and manufacturing
city, as well as the market center for the state's agricultural products.
Early adoption of protective measures by the colony of Victoria gave Melbourne
a start over Sydney as a manufacturing center, but the latter gained the
lead in the 1890's. Melbourne has remained one of the principal centers
for the manufacture of textiles, shoes, and agricultural machinery and
is the headquarters of Australia's largest industrial unit, the Broken
Hill Proprietary Company. Melbourne's harbor can handle ships with up to
a 36-foot (11-meter) draft. Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman
and John P. Fawkner. It was named after Lord Melbourne, then prime minister
of England, and was incorporated in 1842. After the discovery of gold at
Ballarat in 1851 the population of Melbourne increased enormously and was
doubled in the first two decades of the 20th century. Melbourne owed its
prosperity to its position as the chief port for the agricultural and gold
mining wealth of Victoria. From 1901 until 1927 the Commonwealth Parliament
met in Melbourne, and some federal departments are still located in the
city. The city is laid out on a rectangular plan,
with wide main streets crossing at right angles, notably Swanston (northsouth)
and Collins and Bourke (east-west). Smaller, narrow streets divide the
blocks in half from east to west. On the outskirts of Melbourne there are
extensive parklands. On the east, the Treasury Gardens fringe the state
government buildings, and across the Yarra River to the south are the Botanical
Gardens. The city is approached by wide, tree-lined avenues that run north
from the bayside suburbs. Notable buildings include the State Parliament
House, which was loaned to the Commonwealth Parliament from 1901 to 1926,
when Melbourne was the capital; the Treasury; the Anglican and Roman Catholic
cathedrals; the War Memorial; and a stock exchange, completed in 1968.
High rise office buildings dominate the financial district at the
western end of Collins and Bourke streets. The middle sections of these
streets contain the main retail shops. Melbourne is the seat of three universities -- the
University of Melbourne, Monash University, and Latrobe University. The
National Gallery of Victoria, the first section of a new Melbourne art
center, opened in 1968; it replaced the older National Gallery, one of
the world's wealthiest art trusts. Paintings by Tiepolo, Van Eyck, Rembrandt,
and Corot are in the collection. The city supports a symphony orchestra.
Melbourne is a short distance from the Victorian Alps, and the neighboring
beaches, such as St. Kilda, are within half an hour of the city center.
The Melbourne Cup, Australia's main horse-racing event, attracts about
150,000 people to the Flemington racecourse each year. Australian football
is also very popular; the annual finals attract crowds of more than 100,000.
The 1956 summer Olympic Games were held in Melbourne. The first "down under" trade union was founded
in the city in the 1850's. Melbourne was a leading literary center in the
1870's and 1880's, when Marcus Andrew Clarke and Thomas Alexander Browne
were leaders of the Melbourne group. The stimulating rivalry between Melbourne
and Sydney is a perpetual cause of good-humored argument, but it is undeniable
that Melbourne is less cosmopolitan than the capital of New South Wales.
Pop. 1991, urban center, 2,822,500; metropolitan area, 3,022,157.